Chemotherapy Nutrition Calendar | Cycle-Aware Foods for Recovery & Tolerance

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Nutrition

Chemo Nutrition

This calendar shows which foods I emphasize and which I avoid at different points in my chemotherapy cycle.

Day 0

Focus Foods

Bone broth (1–2 cups)
Eggs (1–2) or soft protein
White toast / rice (small portions)

Optional

Yogurt / skyr (if tolerated)
Cooked onion/garlic (tiny amount)

Avoid

Raw vegetables, salads
High-fat meals, fried foods
Cruciferous “heavy hitters” (broccoli sprouts, Brussels)

GI Note: Pre-chemo + early chemo window. Keep it simple and low-fiber.

Day 1

Focus Foods

Bone broth (1–2 cups)
Rice / oats
Berries (1 cup)

Optional

Banana
Eggs (1–2)

Avoid

Raw vegetables
High-fat meals
Spicy foods

GI Note: Pump day. Prioritize hydration + soft carbs; avoid fermentable fiber.

Day 2

Focus Foods

Soft protein (fish/chicken 3–4 oz)
Soup / mashed potatoes
Bone broth (1 cup if appetite low)

Optional

Berries (1 cup)
Rice / toast

Avoid

Heavy fats (cream, fried food)
Raw vegetables
Large meals

GI Note: Keep meals small and frequent. Avoid “big plates.”

Day 3

Focus Foods

Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)
Well-cooked vegetables
Easy proteins (fish/chicken)

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Cauliflower (1 cup cooked)

Avoid

Broccoli sprouts
Brussels sprouts
Raw crucifers

GI Note: Transition day. Add cooked veg, but avoid gas producers.

Day 4

Focus Foods

Cauliflower (1–2 cups cooked)
Cabbage (1 cup cooked)
Berries (1–2 cups)

Optional

Bone broth (1 cup)
Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)

Avoid

High-fiber raw veg
Very spicy peppers
Greasy foods

GI Note: Often the hardest day. Keep fiber gentle and vegetables fully cooked.

Day 5

Focus Foods

Garlic (1 clove, cooked)
Onion (½ medium, cooked)
Cauliflower/cabbage (cooked)

Optional

Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)
Berries (1–2 cups)

Avoid

Broccoli sprouts
Brussels sprouts
Raw vegetables

GI Note: Recovery starts. Reintroduce alliums cooked; stop if crampy.

Day 6

Focus Foods

Salmon (120–150 g)
Walnuts (small handful)
Broccoli (½–1 cup cooked)

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)

Avoid

Fried fish
Very spicy foods
Broccoli sprouts (if still gassy)

GI Note: Omega-3 window begins. Keep broccoli cooked to reduce gas.

Day 7

Focus Foods

Salmon (120–150 g)
Broccoli (1 cup cooked)
Walnuts (small handful)

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Garlic/onion (cooked)

Avoid

Very spicy peppers
Greasy meals
Big raw salads

GI Note: Usually stable. You can widen food variety, still prioritize cooked veg.

Day 8

Focus Foods

Salmon (120–150 g)
Broccoli sprouts (1–2 tbsp)
Berries (1–2 cups)

Optional

Broccoli (1 cup cooked)
Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)

Avoid

Very spicy peppers
Fried foods
Huge fiber loads in one meal

GI Note: Anti-cancer window opens. Introduce sprouts only if gas/cramps are controlled.

Day 9

Focus Foods

Salmon (120–150 g)
Broccoli sprouts (1–2 tbsp)
Garlic/onion (cooked)

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Kale or red cabbage (1 cup cooked)

Avoid

Very spicy foods
Greasy meals
Raw crucifers if gassy

GI Note: If stools loosen, reduce sprouts and switch to cooked cauliflower for 24h.

Day 10

Focus Foods

Broccoli sprouts (1–2 tbsp)
Crucifers (1–2 cups cooked)
Protein-forward meals

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Garlic/onion (cooked)

Avoid

Fried foods
Heavy cream/cheese meals
Huge raw salads

GI Note: Good recovery day. Keep fiber distributed across meals (not one giant salad).

Day 11

Focus Foods

Broccoli sprouts (1–2 tbsp)
Crucifers (1–2 cups cooked)
Mushrooms (1 cup cooked)

Optional

Berries (1–2 cups)
Salmon (optional if desired)

Avoid

Fried foods
Very spicy peppers

GI Note: High-benefit nutrition day. If bloated, swap sprouts for cooked broccoli.

Day 12

Focus Foods

Light meals
Cauliflower (1–2 cups cooked)
Bone broth (1 cup if appetite low)

Optional

Berries (up to 1 cup)
Eggs (1–2)

Avoid

Broccoli sprouts
Brussels sprouts
High fiber overload

GI Note: Pre-reset day. Reduce fermentation and keep fiber low/moderate.

Day 13

Focus Foods

Soft foods reset
Bone broth (1–2 cups)
Eggs (1–2) / yogurt / toast

Optional

Rice / oats
Banana

Avoid

Broccoli sprouts
Big crucifer portions
Greasy meals

GI Note: Reset digestion before next cycle. Keep it low-fiber and predictable.

Daily Amounts Quick Reference

Berries: 1–2 cups
Garlic: 1–2 cloves (cooked)
Onion: ½–1 medium (cooked)

Mushrooms: 1 cup cooked
Salmon: 120–150 g

Broccoli: 1 cup cooked)
Broccoli sprouts: 1–2 tbsp

Eating Rules During Chemotherapy

Food / Category	Primary Benefit	Secondary Benefit	Best Days	Notes
Cruciferous vegetables	Cancer inhibition	Liver detox, chemo support	Days 5–14 (best 8–14)	Cooked early; stronger types later
Garlic	Cancer inhibition	Immune support	Days 5–14	Cooked preferred during chemo
Onions	Cancer inhibition	Immune support	Days 5–14	Easier to tolerate cooked
Berries	Healthy cell protection	Inflammation reduction	Days 1–14	Easy, low GI impact
Green tea (EGCG)	Cancer inhibition	Anti-angiogenic support	Days 5–14	Avoid Days 1–4
Turmeric / Curcumin	Cancer inhibition	Inflammation reduction	Days 5–14	Avoid Days 0–4
Ginger	Inflammation reduction	Gut support / nausea	Days 1–14	Safe throughout cycle
Mushrooms (shiitake, maitake)	Chemo support	Immune support	Days 5–14	Cooked for tolerance
Mushroom capsules (Turkey Tail, Reishi)	Immune support	Inflammation reduction	Days 5–14	Pause during pump/crash days
Omega-3 foods (salmon)	Muscle preservation	Inflammation reduction	Days 5–9	Food-first
Vitamin D	Chemo support	Immune modulation	Days 1–14	Dose guided by labs
Bone broth	Gut recovery	Hydration support	Days 1–6	Recovery tool (not anti-cancer)

Why These Foods Matter

Omega-3

reduces post-chemo inflammation
help preserve muscle during recover
best on days 5-9
~1,500 mg EPA/DHA per day
salmon (120 g) per day
walnuts (small handful) per day

Berries

healthy cell protection
reduces post-chemo inflammation
easy on digestion across the full cycle
daily dose: 1–2 cups per day
best choices: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Garlic

cancer inhibition support
immune support
daily dose: 1–2 cloves per day
best prep: chop/crush, rest 5–10 minutes, then cook lightly or add at the end
chemo timing: best days 5–14; avoid raw on GI-sensitive days

Onions

cancer inhibition support
immune support
daily dose: 1/2–1 medium onion per day
best prep: cooked (sautéed / roasted) for tolerance
chemo timing: best days 5–14; split across meals if needed

Turmeric / Curcumin

cancer inhibition support
inflammation reduction
daily dose: 500–1,000 mg curcumin per day (supplement) OR 1–2 tsp turmeric powder with food
best prep: take with food + fat; small amount of black pepper improves absorption
chemo timing: days 5–14 only; avoid days 0–4

Mushrooms

chemo support
immune support
daily dose (food): 1–2 cups cooked per day (shiitake, maitake)
best prep: fully cooked; sautéed or added to soups
capsules (Turkey Tail / Reishi): 1–3 g extract per day; best days 5–14 (pause on pump/crash days if GI is sensitive)

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cancer & Chemo Benefits

Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds (sulforaphane and indoles) that:

support liver detox pathways
suppress cancer growth signaling
reduce inflammation
protect healthy cells during recovery

This is especially relevant for colorectal cancer with liver involvement.

Best chemo days to eat

Days 8–14: full benefit window
Days 5–7: moderate portions, fully cooked

This is when inflammation has peaked and recovery begins.
Avoid days 1-4 when GI is fragile.

Most beneficial (Ranked in Order)

Potency matters, but tolerance matters more during chemo. On GI-sensitive days, prioritize cauliflower, bok choy, and cooked cabbage; save sprouts, broccoli, and Brussels for better days.

Broccoli sprouts (most potent): 1–2 tbsp per day (raw or lightly warmed).
Broccoli: 1 cup per day cooked (lightly steamed/sautéed).
Brussels sprouts: 1/2–1 cup per day cooked.
Kale: 1–2 cups per day cooked (or 1 cup raw on good GI days).
Red cabbage: 1–2 cups per day cooked.
Cauliflower: 1–2 cups per day cooked.
Bok choy: 1–2 cups per day cooked.

How to prepare

Chop first, rest 5–10 minutes
Steam lightly or sauté gently
Avoid boiling or high heat

Too much heat destroys the active compounds.